Viper 10.4SI

We have owned ours for many years and love them!! I take our beagle with me. She sits in front of me. I have rocked my kayak very ambitiously and have never tipped it over!!!

Better than expected after reading some of these reviews. Bought a pair of these 10.4 Viper's at a garage sale and hit the local river. I found the plastic to be heavier gauge and more durable than what some have described here. The river is somewhat shallow at points and we did hit a few rocks which didn't really hurt the Viper's other than a few light scratches. Not sure on tracking but we were able to paddle and stay straight with no issues.

Good entry level kayak. The biggest plus is the value. While it is simple, cheap molded plastic construction, the plus side is that it is light. We bought 2 at $150 each, and have used them on 3 overnight river trips so far. They are stable and predictable.

Yes, you could ask for more, but you can't argue when this is a fraction of the price! I made a few simple cheap upgrades. Biggest thing was replacing the hardware for pull handles with reinforced backing (less than 1 dollar for hardware store parts).

In short, great value and you wont feel too bad if it gets dinged up.

Really struggling with this one... I've had kayak experience and it went on sale at Menards for $150. What the hell...why not? It is the 10.4 Viper model.

First of all, actual measurements from tip to tip are 10 feet, 1 inch. Not sure where 10'4" comes from. Maybe if you stretch the rope handles??? LOL

It is rated for 300 lbs, a nice plus. I'm 5'10" and 270 lbs (yeah, I'm fat). But it handled me well and I didn't feel like I was sitting too low in the water. Nice!

The plastic is cheap, but it's easier to load on and off the truck. Negative and a Plus.

No thigh pads. A $1 pool noodle and some clear gorilla tape fixed that.

No stern bulkhead. Huge minus... expect to buy Kayak Float Bags if you're halfway serious in case you capsize in deep water. The stern storage is it's own molded plastic compartment though, so the stern water intake is from the sides of the seat that flows backwards, and the "bubble" of the storage area should not fill up with water if the lid holds tight. I never tested how watertight the lid is.

The seat just SUCKS. And the little bit of foam there is starts to deteriorate quickly. A $6 stadium cushion from Dick's Sporting Goods helped.

I bought a 3rd party paddle, so no comments to offer on the default paddle.

Stability.... very good. No feeling of tipping over like cheap, short, "sit on top" kayaks. Honestly it was equivalent with stability to a high end 12 foot kayak I've been using.

The Bad.... is the tracking. It does NOT track straight in any sense of the word. Trying to coast or paddle in a straight line is equivalent to a rubber ducky in the bathtub. For many though... who cares? If you are with a group and trying to keep up, it could be a factor. Expect to zig zag your way through the way. All. The. Time.

For $150 to $200, it is a great kayak at a low price with better quality than other "entry level" kayaks at even higher prices. It's 10 feet, 1 inch as opposed to smaller kayaks with lower weight ratings, it is "sit inside" and stable, and if you start drilling holes and having some fun with mods, it is the PERFECT guinea pig. The plastic is cheap, but if you are on a lake and not hitting rocks, you will be fine. Don't leave it stored in the sun.

Bottom Line: Great for a few hours on a lake. Not for expeditions or the ocean or rivers. And enjoy!

I am brand new to the Kayak world and was looking for something to get me started. I found the Viper on sale at Menards and picked one up. Since then I have taken many trips and added a couple features, hooks and paddle holders to keep the stuff I need close. I love this Kayak as a starter. I do plan to get a longer Kayak for the big trips and someday look to getting a short one for some rougher white water type trails. I definitely recommend this to a beginner or someone who is unsure if they will like it or not. We have a ton of fun and have taken them through Cascades in Ann Arbor, Across Detroit River to Belle Isle, On smaller lakes and plan to do Clinton River soon. Overall good Kayak, very stable. Only down side is no one makes a skirt for it so catching any waves means you will take on water.

Hello folks, I recently planned a 3day trip with my 10.4 viper. What is significant, is that the kayak held 8 liters of fluid, tent, tarps, Everything! plus a cord of wood 30# between my legs. Yes, I was nervous, carrying a 100# on kayak. Zero problems. Eau Claire river into WI river during a 2 day rain storm. Quit after 2 days. Very good value for the money.

I've never owned or even operated a kayak before, so I didn't know what features I needed or wanted. I knew I didn't want to spend a lot for a kayak then never use it because it was uncomfortable, unstable, or unwielding. After looking online and in-person for low-price kayaks at Dick's and Wal-Mart, I saw the Viper at Menard's, of all places. It was only $180 (down from $200) and seemed to have and be all that I needed. I was able to squeeze it into the Kia Soul (roof rack is next) and get it home without any problems. I've paddle it once around the 5-acre lake next to my house and had a blast. I never felt like I was going to tip, and I was able to get it going at a pretty good clip without too much effort (though I felt the effort later). The next step is to build a roof rack so I can get it into the nearby Des Plaines River and do some streaming.

For the price ($175 on sale at Menards including a surprisingly light paddle), it's hard to beat this for a kid’s boat. Our teens prefer them to our more expensive "real" kayaks. They are surprisingly fast and have lots of primary stability. Two of the seats began ripping during the first season, but the company was quick to send me replacements for free. There are no bulkheads or built in flotation, so we usually put a dry bag or two in the stern in case of swamping. Compared to Sun Dolphins and other big box store boats, these are the best I’ve seen for the money.

Decided to pick up a couple of the viper kayak from menards took them out today and they are nice for the price. I'm 6'1" and 234lbs and I fit nice in it my wife is only 5'4" and she likes hers. All in all good starter kayak

I added a Minn Kota Endura c30 trolling motor to mine and have a 105ah battery that fits in back. I had to do a little trimming to the opening to get the battery to fit, but it worked out great. I can easily go all day on a charge with a top speed of about 4 mph.

The price is good if you are looking for something that will get you on the water. For the kit, $175. I've seen a lot of these being purchased around the shore of a small lake I paddle frequently. However, I seldom see them used.

It has a flat bottom, so primary stability is incredible and the cockpit is huge so even the largest paddler can climb in and out. Best use would be for fishing small lakes or letting kids paddle near shore.

The material is a very thin, cheap poly that will break down or warp in the sun fairly quickly.
Instead of slicing through the water, it plows its way through, giving the feeling that the boat is braking between paddle strokes - which can be frustrating after a while.
There is very little gliding or tracking and the stern waggles significantly with each paddle stroke.

Ok for a starter for kids, but I would recommend looking for something that has a little more streamlining.

Even though I'm well over it's stated 300# carrying capacity, the higher sides and wide base made this boat very usable for me. It's light weight and shorter length means that I can toss it in the back of my Dodge Dakota without the need for a roof rack and carry it in and out of put-ins/take-outs easily by myself.

For a beginner boat, I think you would be hard-pressed to find a better value for your money.

We purchased two of these lighter weight recreational kayaks to use on a slower river, no rapids higher than a low 3, and boy were they fun! Took them this weekend to a small lake, again... Loads of fun! Even did some angling.

These kayaks got us back out on the water and having fun again! Solid and inexpensive, sold along with paddles at Menards.